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rszymans

rszymans
Member since : Oct-28-2008 (Verified)
1 Ideas, 10 Comments, 608 Votes

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Ideas Posted

Unfortunately, the Adventure Base 100 traveling exhibit will not be stopping in our council. However, it will be traveling through our council twice. Our folks are disappointed about it not being able to stop here, but understand the scheduling and time constraints involved. They are hoping though that it might be possible to get the schedule of when the exhibit will be driving through our council and its route so that we could provide the opportunity to our scouts and scouters to fill various highway overpasses so that they can see it go by and wave. This could be an exciting opportunity for scouts across the country in other areas where the exhibit will be unable to stop.
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Comments Posted

rszymans 1 month ago
Because of inacurate data from scoutnet we no longer include training goals for our staff.
rszymans 3 months ago
This is so true. the data provided is so notorious that DE's and volunteers alike don't use it. Many DE's and volunteers set up their own data base to keep track of training in their districts. Others just give up and spend minimal time on training.
rszymans 4 months ago
Our Risk Management committee recently reviewed the on-line tour permit so that they could understand how it works. They offerd several Ideas that could help it become more robust.
- Add links to such items as the safe swim defence training, Hazardous Weater training, Guide to safe Scouting etc.
- Add a link to templates for float plans, hike plans, high adventure activity plans.
Thesse additions would help our leaders be more effective and efficient in planning and reporting their activities.
rszymans 6 months ago
I have been impressed with the focus of the Minsi Trails Council's efforts to really focus on quality unit issues. From my own expirence I have found that a strong effort to train ALL registered adult leaders and provide strong consistant service to units pays off in strong units that grow membership of their own accord and take ownership of helping to fund the council.

Unfortunately, when discussing this concept with to many of my peers, the feeling is that having a DE focus any time on training or getting to know their units will "take their time away from doing membership or raising money." Unfortunately, in many of our councils and regions we are under the thumb of BoyPower thinking and are alienating our volunteers rather than streagthening our programs through partnering with them.
rszymans 8 months ago
Hmmm!

Maybe we could also add a requirement that the scout also needs to organize 3 units in order to earn their Eagle. Or, recruit 3 new District Committee members.
Let's get real. It's a scouts jobe to be a scout. And it's the Job of the Council Board and Staff to raise the funds needed to operate the Scouting Program in their Council. The more we rely on product sales to fund th operating budget the weaker we become.
rszymans 11 months ago
Effective the 23 of November the USPS implemented new standards under the title of Move Update. Essentially this requires mailers to update their address lists to help decrease the number of letters that need to be forwarded or returned to sender. If addresses are not updated, then the sender will be billed for the additional costs. This will affect every council in the BSA. Detailed information can be found at the following link http://ribbs.usps.gov

Our Office manager called the BSA national support center to ask for recomendations. She was forwarded her to registration.

The support she got was to be told that "this is th first we have heard of this." and "it's probably just something your local post office is doing."
rszymans 11 months ago
This is not just a benefits issue. Our practice has been for all information from National to flow through the Scout Executive. My Current Scout Executive spends quite a bit of time out of the office meeting with board members, community leaders etc. Sometimes it can be a week or more before he gets to his email (He is of a generation which tends not to like email) There have been occasions when time sensitive issues were missed because the staff person responsible did not know of the need.

It would be helpful for Scout Executives to be able to designated a staff member or two who would also recieve this type of information.
rszymans 11 months ago
Hmmm. What would be next? No Quality District Award in years that a DE changes? No Quality Unit Award in Years that the unit leader changes?
rszymans 11 months ago
The Silver Beaver Award IS a distinguished award
rszymans 11 months ago
This is pretty much a standard feature of charity auctions